Vitamins to Help Tinnitus: Does It WORK?

First of all, let us keep in mind
the fact that vitamins may be only good for tinnitus
patients who are deficient in vitamins. It also needs to
be kept in mind that the B variety of vitamins that are
most helpful to tinnitus affected people cannot be
stored in the body and so require replenishment almost
on a regular basis. While looking for the right kind of
vitamins for tinnitus, one may narrow the search down to
the list of the contributing factors of tinnitus that
are given below for recapitulation and link them up to
the virtue of a vitamin.

Tinnitus Causes and
Contributing Factors

‘B’ group
of vitamins:

Vitamin
B-1 (Thiamine)
supplements are believed to help tinnitus in more than
one way.

Vitamin
B-3
(Niacin, Niacinamide, Nicotinic
acid)
supports circulation of blood at the upper body level,
and it helps in the functioning of the CNS and
consequently has a helpful hand on the cochlear nerves
in the middle ear as well. B-3 is also necessary for
breaking down of carbohydrates, proteins and fat,
thereby providing proper nutrition to people who are
suffering from tinnitus. The dosage may begin at 50 mg
per day, to be taken twice a day. If no improvement is
observed after a couple of weeks, it may be hiked at
the rate of 50 mg each week till it reaches 500 mg and
then stopped. Lack of response at that level indicates
that B-3 will not suit the
case.

Vitamin
B- 6
(Pyridoxine) helps
in the production of serotonin which is a brain
neurotransmitter that can extend control over
appetite, mood, balancing as well as sensitivity to
pain. B-6 also helps fight giddiness, nausea, vertigo
and depression in tinnitus
patients.

Vitamin
B-12
(Cobalamin, cyanocobalamin)
deficiency is often observed in the elderly people who
are suffering from chronic tinnitus complications that
are usually associated with loud noise exposure. The
natural correlation suggests a probable connection
between the B-12 and dysfunction of the hearing
pathway involving the outer and middle ear in most
patients. True to the investigative analysis, tinnitus
sufferers between the age group of 60 and 70 responded
effectively to B-12 in a matter of a few months.
However, there is a single drawback with both verities
of B-12 which concerns their poor absorption level, as
a result of which, a fairly high dosage has to be
administered to these people. Alternatively, it may be
administered in the injection form for instant
absorption with minimum
wastage.

Folic
Acid (Folate) which
is yet another significant member of the B-complex
group of vitamins is believed to have a significant
effect over the CNS, as a consequence of which, it can
have stabilize the middle ear nerve endings. And once
the nerves start functioning properly, the brain would
stop transmitting disturbing sounds to the
ear.

Zinc is also
a vitamin that often helps tinnitus patients who
suffer from zinc deficiency. However, those who do not
suffer from this deficiency generally do not come
under the purview of this
treatment.

Apart from the specific vitamins
listed above, some other vitamins that
work as antioxidants also can help
tinnitus
, at least
in achieving relief. Antioxidants, as we know, are
capable of halting some of the harm caused by free
radicals that are produced as our bodies turn the food
we consume into energies that are spent by
us.

However,
these free radicals, that actually are by-products, are
mostly responsible for the aging process while
contributing towards many diseases that include coronary
complications, arthritis, loss of hearing (as also
tinnitus) and many other agonizing ailments too. But
vitamin C, which is commonly called Ascorbic Acid,
protect the body in the form of antioxidant against such
onslaught of such free radicals. Since it is a
water-soluble vitamin, any overdose will cause little
harm as the excess vitamin will drain out through the
urine.

Studies
have proved that vitamin E, which is also a powerful
antioxidant that protects body cells from harm caused by
free radicals, is also beneficial. Since vitamin E is
significantly potent in protecting and aiding the
nervous system, it proves helpful to the cochlear and
the nerve ends surrounding it. However, vitamin E
compounds come in two major forms – the Tocopherols and
the Tocotrienols. Out of these two forms, the human body
can only absorb alpha-tocopherol isomers either from
food items or natural-source
supplements.

Why
Vitamins To Help Tinnitus May Not Be
Enough

It is true
that the vitamins may help, but do also remember that
this help is mostly to get a cure from the symptoms. And
another reality is, just treating the symptoms is never
going to be enough – that is because the root causes
still remain within the body, even if the symptoms are
gone. So to ensure that the symptoms do not come back,
you have to identify these contributing factors and
treat these causes, and not just the symptoms. But
sadly, the conventional medical approach does not do
this. But the good news is, you can turn to holistic
remedies because this is what it does, and naturally
thus, the success rate of holistic remedies in the
treatment of tinnitus has been much
better.